McKnight v. Board of Directors

512 N.E.2d 316, 32 Ohio St. 3d 6, 1987 Ohio LEXIS 341
CourtOhio Supreme Court
DecidedAugust 5, 1987
DocketNo. 86-694
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 512 N.E.2d 316 (McKnight v. Board of Directors) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McKnight v. Board of Directors, 512 N.E.2d 316, 32 Ohio St. 3d 6, 1987 Ohio LEXIS 341 (Ohio 1987).

Opinions

Moyer, C. J.

The principal issue in •this case is whether the trial court erred in enjoining the board from entering into agreements pursuant to the authority of the Third Amendment. The first question presented by this case is whether the board of directors of Anchor Pointe, elected on March 8,1984, was legally constituted. This necessitates a determination of the status of First Federal. If, as appellants contend, First Federal was a good faith purchaser for value, then it was entitled to vote for all members of the condominium association’s board of directors in proportion to its unit ownership. However, if First Federal assumed the role of developer of Anchor Pointe, under R.C. 5311.01(T), the board was not legally constituted, as the developer was entitled to appoint only five of the members of the board pursuant to Section 4, Article VII of the Declaration of Condominium Ownership.1

[8]*8R.C. 5311.01(T) defines “developer” as follows:

“* * * [A]ny person who, directly or indirectly, sells or offers for sale condominium ownership interests in a condominium development. ‘Developer’ includes the declarant of a condominium development and any successor to the declarant who stands in the same relation to the condominium development as the declarant.”

R.C. 5311.01(N) provides:

“ ‘Sale of a condominium ownership interest’ means the execution by both parties of an agreement for the conveyance or transfer for consideration of a condominium ownership interest, except ‘sale of a condominium ownership interest’ for purposes of this chapter shall not include a transfer of two or more units from the developer to another developer, a subsidiary of the developer, or a financial institution for the purpose of facilitating the sale of or the development of the remaining or unsold portion of the property. ” (Emphasis added.)

Appellants maintain that the definition of “salé” provided in R.C. 5311.01(N) applies only when a determination must be made as to whether the consumer protection sections of the chapter contained in R.C. 5311.25 to 5311.27 apply. We disagree and reject the argument that we should employ the traditional notions of “sale” and “purchaser for value” and ignore the specific exception in R.C. 5311.01(N).

Generally, a secured party who takes collateral and sells or retains it in order to satisfy debt for which the collateral is given is a purchaser for value. However, the General Assembly has carved out an exception to that rule as it applies to financial institutions involved in condominium developments. This is apparent from the lack of limiting language in R.C. 5311.01(N). Although the General Assembly could easily have limited the application of R.C. 5311.01(N) to the warranty provisions provided in the chapter, it did not.2

Appellants contend that a mortgagee acquiring title to property through [9]*9foreclosure or by accepting a deed in lieu of foreclosure does not necessarily assume the role of developer. As mortgagee holding the real estate as security for the loan, the bank has a right to foreclose and take title to the security upon the mortgagor’s default. The mortgagee then has the right to sell the property to satisfy the debt.

We agree with First Federal’s contention that by acquiring title to property either through foreclosure or by accepting a deed in lieu of foreclosure, a mortgagee does not necessarily assume the role of the “developer” as defined by R.C. 5311.01(T). Generally, banks and other financial institutions that lend money to finance condominium developments are in the business of lending money and not building or developing condominiums. When such a lender is forced into its position as owner after a legitimate loan goes into default, the lender must be given the right to salvage its interest by selling the property. Such a situation, in and of itself, does not compel the lender to assume the obligations of a developer imposed by R.C. Chapter 5311 or the articles and bylaws of the condominium association.

It follows that a mortgagee acquiring title to property or other collateral has the right to protect its interest by taking reasonable steps to maintain or preserve the property. However, when the mortgagee performs such acts as to become so intertwined with the promotion and development of the property that it, in essence, has engaged in the business of the developer, it cannot insulate itself from the duties, constraints and obligations of a developer pursuant to R.C. Chapter 5311.

There is no “bright line” test which delineates with precision whether a mortgagee has taken such steps as to assume the role of developer. There are, however, certain factors that can be examined to determine if the lender has engaged in the business of developing or is acting solely to preserve its interest in the property. In Chotka v. Fidelco Growth Investors (Fla. 1980), 383 So. 2d 1169, a construction money lender acquired title from the original builder-developer through foreclosure proceedings following substantial completion of condominium development. The court found that Fidelco became more than just a lender when it took title to the condominium project, completed construction, and, holding itself out as developer and owner of the project, advertised and sold units to purchasers.3

The court in Chotka designated some of the factors a court may consider in order to determine the status of a lender acquiring title through foreclosure. For example, a court may consider whether the lender advertised the project or directly solicited potential purchasers, whether the lender participated in construction of units or common-area buildings, and whether the lender held itself out as the developer. Id. at 1170. Also relevant is whether the lender entered into contracts for services in which it shares a [10]*10profit or proprietary interest. Affirmative answers to these considerations should be balanced against the strong policy consideration of not imposing developer obligations upon banks and other lending institutions that are in the process of salvaging a security interest.

A review of the record in the instant case supports the trial court’s determination that First Federal took steps to do much more than merely preserve its security interest in Anchor Pointe. Plaintiffs’ Exhibit 3 is an agreement between First Federal and Anchor Pointe Marina Corporation (“APMC”), an enterprise controlled by Virgil Gladieux. This agreement was signed on January 24, 1985, approximately one month before the vote on the Third Amendment. The agreement provides that First Federal will retain APMC as association manager of the marine complex for three years and pay fifty percent of the salary of a general manager chosen by APMC. (Item 3.) APMC is named the exclusive sales agent for all of First Federal’s property at the complex with the additional provision that First Federal, after paying a seven percent real estate commission and ordinary selling expenses, will receive one hundred percent of the net proceeds. (Item 4.)

Thus, First Federal will receive a profit on any sales made by APMC. First Federal will receive a substantial profit if APMC exercises its option to buy the property remaining at the end of the three-year term.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
512 N.E.2d 316, 32 Ohio St. 3d 6, 1987 Ohio LEXIS 341, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcknight-v-board-of-directors-ohio-1987.